


The Ones You Tame

by epicionly



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Introspection, Le Petit Prince symbolism, Star Trek: Into Darkness Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-02 16:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5255837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epicionly/pseuds/epicionly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard cares too much and it's Jim's fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ones You Tame

Now, Leonard’s been alone for a damn long time. You get alone. You grow up. Kids start learning about the birds and the bees and that it’s unhealthy to latch onto a stranger, however much you call them a friend. Everyone needs their own space. God forbid that Jim Kirk respect that and learn anything about it.

But, see, you start reteaching an old dog some tricks he recognizes, and what does he get from that? He gets to expecting, getting used to it. Fox in an old 20th century children’s book used the verb _apprivoiser_ to describe that sensation.

Now, Leonard’s not a languages kind of guy or else he’d have been in communications and specializing in his tongue instead of his hands (and wouldn’t Kirk find that a riot), but he gets it.  _Apprivoiser_. To tame. The fox told the little tiny prince that he’d been tamed. Now the kid had become responsible. You had to take responsibility for the ones you’d tamed.

Word choice doesn’t fly that right, but it’s what it is. Leonard’s too old to have someone else be responsible for him, and he’ll send Kirk nine ways out the door before the man gets the idea of trying.

At the same time, he’s gotten used to Kirk and all his inane ways, never used to the heart attacks he gets every time he stumbles in half-dead through Leonard’s dorm door, but he gets used to him. Maybe even likes the kid enough, though he hopes Jo won’t ever become anything like him.

He expects Kirk. Expects Jim. Looks for him every damn day and keeps him out of trouble when he can.

During the time in between classes when Kirk’s too busy trying to irritate her, Cadet Uhura pays more attention to Leonard because he’s the less annoying of two souls, and Kirk has the good grace to at least stay in line when Leonard gives him a  _look._ They become friends, the communications and the medical officers-to-be, all along the backdrop of Kirk and the disastrous drama he brings along with him. Even through the Nero incident. Through Khan.

To now.

 _“Apprivoiser_ ,” Uhura says, during the downtime, while Leonard's twiddling his thumbs, can’t think straight. He hasn’t slept for days on end, and goddammit, what’s the entire use of having all these damn doctorates and qualifications when there’s some kind of miracle drug of superhuman blood that can be refined enough to bring a man back from the dead?

Leonard’s playing God, and it’s up to the Lord on High to consider it an insult or stupidity. Babylon all over again. His father.

“What?”

“ _Apprivoiser_.” At his blank face, she elaborates, rubbing at the bags under her eyes. “To make someone mean something to you.”

The fox.

The little prince.

Hell, Leonard’s not really sure what Uhura means by bringing up an old book she recommended him years ago.

She doesn’t say anything more, but Leonard knows she knows it. That ever since Jim, whatever fortress he's built after Jocelyn has been torn down, and now he’s just like that stupid fox who gets used to someone, who’ll park his ass outside his cozy little den and wait at the same time everyday.

And wait.

 _Dammit Jim,_  Leonard thinks, and he’s staring at Jim’s face and then at the monitors hovering about his head.  _You take goddamn responsibility for this._

Because Leonard’s never really been alone. Not like this. And he’s never noticed really, until now.

**Author's Note:**

> Written June 5, 2015 on tumblr, inspired by [a photoset I didn't realize was McCoy/Carol Marus ](http://fromdusks.tumblr.com/post/61878945544) (whoops my tunnel vision).
> 
> TL;DR time (because I have so many...thoughts and sentiments and feelings about how CRUCIAL AND IMPORTANT IT IS THAT in whatever shape or form, YOU NEED TO HAVE JIM AND BONES):  
> My best friend (francophone) told me about the apprivoiser thing a long time ago, how 'to tame' wasn't really the best, accurate description of what it meant. The moment someone means something to you, becomes something important to you, becomes irreplaceable out of all those someones in the world--that's so powerful.


End file.
